St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Marco Gonzales (56) waves to the crowd who came to cheat him on, after the Cardinals win over the Colorado Rockies 9-6 June 25, 2014 at Coors Field. It was Marcos major league debut. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Former Rocky Mountain High School star Marco Gonzales made his major league postseason debut Friday, pitching a scoreless inning for the Cardinals against the Dodgers. St. Louis was leading 10-6 in the bottom of the eighth won 10-9.

Gonzalez entered the bottom of the sixth inning. He allowed a hit to Matt Kemp before getting Hanley Ramirez to fly out and Carl Crawford to ground into a double play. He earned the win.

He is the only Colorado high school pitcher to be the winning pitcher in four state championship games (2007-10).

In a statement, commissioner Bud Selig said: “The pace-of-game committee is eager to test various ideas — ranging from the incremental to the dramatic — in order to learn more, and we are fortunate to have a setting in which we can do exactly that. We will work with the appropriate parties — including players, umpires, our partners, our fans and many other contributors to our game — to form effective pace of game recommendations that will fit the major-league level.”

Newly retired Derek Jeter announced about a year ago that he’d transition from ball player to book publisher. On Wednesday, the former Yankee great took that a step further: He’s also a digital publisher.

Jeter launched The Players’ Tribune, a website meant to give athletes a platform to share their “unfiltered” views to fans. Coming from a player who would deflect many of the questions thrown at him, the irony isn’t lost on him.

“I do think fans deserve more than “no comments” or “I don’t knows.” Those simple answers have always stemmed from a genuine concern that any statement, any opinion or detail, might be distorted. I have a unique perspective. Many of you saw me after that final home game, when the enormity of the moment hit me. I’m not a robot. Neither are the other athletes who at times might seem unapproachable. We all have emotions. We just need to be sure our thoughts will come across the way we intend.

“So I’m in the process of building a place where athletes have the tools they need to share what they really think and feel. We want to have a way to connect directly with our fans, with no filter.”

This all started on March 26, 2014. During an 8-6 loss in a Cactus League game against San Francisco, Rockies owner Dick Monfort said he believed his team would win at least 90 games this season.

The math, of course, seemed questionable, so The Post’s Mark Kiszla questioned him about it.

“When Tulo and CarGo both play in the same game, I think we win 60 percent of the time,” Monfort said. “So you take 60 percent times 160 games and that’s 96 wins.”

His positive/idealistic/irrational calculation would have required the Rockies’ stars, Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, to have stayed healthy (they didn’t), and for Brett Anderson to have filled a void in the Rockies’ rotation (he didn’t).

The injuries piled up almost as quickly as the losses did, and on Sunday, against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, the Rockies closed out their season in the most predictable fashion: with a loss. Colorado was hammered 10-5 in L.A., bringing its 2014 record to 66-96.

What’s up: Hurdle has always been the biggest man in the room. His physical stature, booming voice, candor and take-on-the-world demeanor make him a leader. So it’s hard to think of Hurdle as vulnerable. And it was a bit shocking to see Hurdle limping to the mound last week in Atlanta to make a pitching change. I already knew Hurdle was in pain and needed hip-replacement surgery at the end of the season, but I didn’t realize how much pain he’s been in.

Background: Hurdle, who led the Rockies to the World Series in 2007, has the Pirates in the postseason for a second consecutive season. He was named National League manager of the year in 2013 and could win it again this year, although the Nationals’ Matt Williams is probably the favorite.Read more…

Rockies closer LaTroy Hawkins joined some elite company Saturday night in Los Angeles when he made his 1,00th big-league appearance. (David Zalubowski, The Associated Press)

LOS ANGELES — The applause inside the visitors’ clubhouse was loud and sustained as the Rockies celebrated closer LaTroy Hawkins late Saturday night.

They also presented him with a signed bottle of Dom Perignon.

And why not? It’s not often that a teammate joins a baseball fraternity that includes the likes of Mariano Rivera, Dennis Eckersley, Hoyt Wilhelm, Trevor Hoffman and Goose Gossage.

The 41-year-old Hawkins made the 1,000th appearance of his major-league career, becoming just the 16th pitcher to hit that magical mark. For the record, he has 124 saves and has pitched 1,428 2/3 innings in his career.

Colorado Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau is leading the race for the NL batting title entering the final two games of the season. (The Associated Press)

LOS ANGELES — Justin Morneau’s slim lead in the National League batting title is safe for now, which is a big part of the reason why the Rockies’ first baseman is not in the starting lineup for Saturday night’s game against the Dodgers.

Asked if he would consider sitting Morneau in Sunday’s season finale should Morneau enter that game with a lead, manager Walt Weiss answered: “We’ll see where he stands at that point. … He has worked very hard to put himself in this position.

“I mean, people talk about backing into a batting title and all of that stuff. I don’t think there is such a thing. It takes six months to win it. How do you back into something that takes six months to win? But he’s had a great, great year. It would be the icing on the cake.”

Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu, a prime candidate to win a Gold Glove, could miss the final two games of the season because of a sprained knee. (Denver Post file photo)

LOS ANGELES — DJ LeMahieu has been the Rockies’ infield iron man, playing in 149 games this season. But he’s likely to finish the season on the bench.

LeMahieu, a worthy contender for a Gold Glove, left Friday night’s 7-4 loss to the Dodgers in the sixth inning with a sprained left knee. He is listed as day to day with two games remaining in the season.

LeMahieu hurt his knee while diving for Justin Turner’s single in the sixth inning.

Derek Jeter’s last game as a Yankee will be Sept. 28, against the Red Sox. (Mike Stobe, Getty Images)

New York Times Magazine republished a 1991 scouting report of Derek Jeter, when Yankees scout Dick Groch discovered the scrawny high school junior at a talent identification camp.

The “discovery” happened by accident, really. The Yankees were considering a Stanford outfielder named Jeffrey Hammonds and a right-handed pitcher Jim Pittsley as draft picks. But Groch was in the area and decided to stop at this camp “to break up the day.”

And then he saw Jeter, a 159-pound shortstop from Kalamazoo, Mich.

“A Yankee!,” Groch wrote in his report. “A five-tool player. Will be a (major league) star. +5!!”

A year later, a Colorado Rockies scout took notice of the high school shortstop. “This guy is special,” the Rockies report read. “You get excited just watching him warm up. All-Star potential at MLB level.”

The Rockies had the 27th pick in the 1992 draft that year and never had a shot at getting Jeter. The Yankees swooped him up at No. 6. Rockies chose John Burke, a Colorado-born pitcher who pitched only 10 career games.

But now, more than 22 years, five World Series titles, 14 all-star appearances and five Gold Gloves later, it seem both scouts nailed their analyses of Jeter.

It’s all speculation for now, but the word is spreading in baseball circles that Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd might consider leaving the Rockies for a front-office position with the Atlanta Braves if John Hart takes over as Braves’ full-time general manager. O’Dowd worked under Hart in Cleveland before coming to the Rockies.

MLB announced Monday that Commissioner Bud Selig has conducted a conference call with a new committee that will study the issue of pace of game. The goals of the committee will focus on decreasing time of game and improving the overall pace of play in the 2015 regular season and beyond.

“That guy’s great,” the 23-year-old Butler said of the 41-year-old Hawkins. “He told me earlier to shut up and sit down and get ready.”

And, as is tradition every September after rosters expand with rookie call-ups, the Rockies made fun of their rookies in an initiation. They left the Coors Field clubhouse after Sunday’s victory over Arizona in speedos (and, for Tommy Kahnle, in a clown suit for some reason). They rode the bus and the plane to San Diego in their swim gear:

What’s up: Harrison, Pittsburgh’s 5-foot-8, 200-pound third baseman, entered Saturday’s play hitting .318, just ahead of the Rockies’ Justin Morneau (.317) in the race for the National League batting title. The 27-year-old from Cincinnati is a major reason why the Pirates remain alive in the playoff hunt.

Background: Harrison started just two games in the first month of the season and was 5-for-23 (.217) entering May. Then he got hot, and then hotter still. He hit .356 in August and is hitting .354 in September. Just as remarkable, Harrison has suddenly plugged into his power supply, hitting 13 home runs and driving in 52 runs. In his first three years in the majors, Harrison hit only seven home runs in 229 games.

Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is trying to look ahead as he rehabs his surgically-repaired left knee. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)

Carlos Gonzalez has been off his crutches for only a few days, so he’s still walking gingerly. For a guy who’s used to gliding across the outfield, it’s not been easy dealing with the after effects of knee surgery.

“Right now, we are doing movements to get my knee to bend 100 percent,” he said Friday from the clubhouse at Coors Field before the Rockies hosted the Diamondbacks. “It’s not there yet, but it’s getting there. I’m making progress.”

CarGo remains optimistic that he’ll be ready — or close to being ready — when the Rockies report to Salt River Fields for spring training in mid-February. He underwent surgery on Aug. 19 to repair his aching left knee. Doctors cut out a torn part of Gonzalez’s patella tendon in his left knee. They also removed a bursa sac and cleaned up a fat pad.

Gonzalez played through left knee tendinitis most the season before being shut down for good on Aug. 14 after an MRI showed his knee injury grew worse in recent weeks.

CarGo said it’s still difficult to maneuver stairs, something that frustrates him.

“The doctor says I just have to take it easy,” CarGo said. “He keeps telling me to be patient. He tells me there are going to be days when I’m going to feel like I can do more, but he says I have to take it slow. I’m listening to him.”

Nolan Arenado warps up for a game against the Washington Nationals on on Monday, July 21, 2014. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

Nolan Arenado’s season of highlight-reel plays, growth as a hitter and frustrating injuries is very likely over.

The Rockies third baseman, still lacking energy because of early-onset pneumonia, is feeling better, but he acknowledged that he probably won’t play in any of the Rockies’ final 10 games.

“I guess there is a chance, but I don’t know how high a chance,” Arenado said Thursday before the Rockies hosted the Diamondbacks. “I know I couldn’t play tonight and I won’t be able to do anything for a couple of days. I’m tired, my body is tired. My energy is down. If I feel like my chest is 100 percent, I’m going to go, but if it’s not, I don’t think I’m going to try.”

Created by the Rotary Club of Denver in 1991, the Branch Rickey Award honors individuals in baseball who contribute unselfishly to their communities and who are strong role models for young people. Each year, the Major League Baseball teams are asked to nominate one team member for this nationally acclaimed award. All of the nominees personify Rotary International’s motto, “Service Above Self.”

Rizzo will be inducted as the 23rd member of the Baseball Humanitarians Hall of Famed during a banquet on Nov. 14 at the McNichols Civic Center in downtown Denver. At 25, he is the youngest person to receive the award.

Eddie Butler’s start Saturday for the Rockies will figure like a do-over. In hindsight, the Rockies’ rookie pitcher may have jumped to the big leagues too soon. And his experience this season may lead Colorado to rewrite its prospect sheet.

Butler, who was recalled to Colorado on Tuesday, will pitch twice for the Rockies over the 11 remaining days this season, in a kind of an early-look tryout for 2015. The rookie will pitch his second and third big-league starts after a disastrous debut in June.

“At that time, I didn’t think he was ready,” said Kevin Riggs, his manager with the Tulsa Drillers. “If you had asked me that last year, I thought he was ready. But this year, some of the things they were working on hadn’t transpired yet. He’s in a much better place this second time around. I’m hopeful he’ll gain some confidence from it.”

Butler, 23, gave up six runs on 10 hits against the Dodgers in June, after he was called up to replace Christian Bergman, who was called up to replace Jordan Lyles. Soon after, he was put on the disabled list with a muscle strain in his right armpit.

“The most valuable lessons are learned the hard way,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. “He’s had to struggle a little this year, relative to last season. There’ve been some challenges this year for Eddie. Hopefully he comes out the other side better for it.”

While Butler will get two more big-league games under his belt, two other highly touted Rockies pitching prospects won’t have that chance. But their paths might already be set.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.